Description

In the 1960s a West German-US MBT-70 project was launched. Both countries were developing an advanced main battle tank with a number of new features. It was planned that the weight of this new main battle tank would be 50 t. A new tank transporter was required to tow this tank. So in 1965 another West German-US Heavy Equipment Transporter 70 (HET-70) project was launched. Prototypes were built, however in 1970 both projects were cancelled due to cost overruns. Eventually both Germany and the United States continued development of the new main battle tank and tank transporter on their own. The German MoD asked FAUN company to develop a tractor truck and Krupp company to develop the semi-trailer. This combination was first tested in 1971. It was eventually adopted in 1976 as the SLT-50-2 Elefant. Production ceased in 1979.A total of 324 tank transports were delivered to the German army. In 2002 six of these tank transporters have been exported to Poland, alongside the Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks. Also it has been exported to Bahrain, and possibly, Saudi Arabia.